Claim: Turkey 'jails journalists'

Claim: Turkey 'jails journalists'

Today is World Press Freedom Day and several media outlets accuse Turkey of jailing journalists. Fact-Checking Turkey prepared short-list of 'journalists imprisoned' in Turkey and reasons for their detention

May 3 is celebrated as the World Press Freedom Day. During this day, several media outlets used expressions like Turkey “jails” or “oppresses” journalists. However when the names and the crimes of the imprisoned journalists are examined, it can be seen that these persons were not imprisoned for their journalism, but because of the evidence showing their criminal acts which are different than their journalism activities.

As Fact-Checking Turkey, we prepared a short list of some of the accusations brought against jailed “journalists” in Turkey.

Can Dundar

• Obtaining information on state security.

• Political and military espionage.

• Spreading terror propaganda.

• Dundar’s daily Cumhuriyet published pictures of trucks belonging to the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) carrying ammunition for Syrian rebels. Dundar first claimed that the weapons were heading for DAESH but contradicted himself in his court defense saying “We don’t know where they were going to.”

Hatice Duman

• Being engaged in activities in the name of the Leninist communist illegal organization (MLKP/MK) listed as terrorist by Turkey and keeping firearms at the cell house where she lived.

Mustafa Gok

• Being a member of the DHKP-C, a terrorist organization which is known to have carried a number of assassinations and suicide bombings aimed at police forces, a prosecutor, civilians and the U.S. Embassy in Turkey.

Kenan Karavil

• Working as the regional manager of the KCK, which is the urban group of the PKK terrorist organization.

Abdulcabar Karabeg

• Being a member of the PKK terrorist organization.

• Threatening citizens during the referendum process in 2017 to prevent them from voting.

Erdal Susem

• Being a member of the PKK terrorist organization and TKPML-TİKKO, a Maoist guerrilla organization.

Faysal Tunc

• Being a member of the PKK.

• Working to provide new recruits for the armed mountain division of the PKK terrorist organization.

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Fact-checking Turkey monitors the factual accuracy of various news and explanations about Turkey. It follows international and national media and aims to provide accurate information through publicly available sources.